Apparatus for treating copper ores.



No. 702,490. Patented me l7, I902.

n. SEEMAN.

APPARATUS'FOB TREATING GOPPE B ORES.

(A nmibn med Apr. 24, 1901.

(No Model.)

INVENTO/v WITNESSES: W6 fi'rfiardflefizaiz ATTORNEYS 1 m: Nmws wnzws coPNOTO LITNO., WASMINGYON, a. c.

UNITED .STATEs PATENT ()FFI'CE.

RICHARD SEEMAN,.OF EALING, LONDONLENGLAN'D.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING COPPERORES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 702,490, dated June 17,1902.

Application filed April 24, 1901 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD SEE-MAN, a subgect of the King of GreatBritain and Ireland, and a resident of Ealing, London, inv

the county of Mid'dlesex, England, have invented anew and ImprovedApparatus for TreatingOopper Ores, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to the treatment of copper ores containingcarbonate or oxid of copper by leaching them with ammonia.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for'carryin'g outthis extraction upon a commercial scale and to avoid the drawbackshitherto experienced when working on the same principle. former attemptsI attribute largely to the unsuitability of the plant employed. Animportant requirement for the success of the extraction is that allvessels or connections The failure I of p which come in contact with theammoniacal' solution of copper should be made of or lined with somematerial not acted upon by this solution, as earthenware or glass.

The procedure and the apparatus for car- 'rying it out will now bedescribed in detail to be closed by a cap 1, and three side nipples 2 34, adapted to be closed by plugs or caps, as a, or to receive the endsof connecting-pipes, as will be described presently. Each receptacle maybe strengthened by horizontal ribs or bands b,extending around the same,and by a vertical rib or band 0. Further, each receptacle has a drainpassage or' outlet 5 and a gageglass or inspectionglass 6. Thesafety-receptacle A is stationary; but the other receptacles B ()"D arepreferably provided with trunnions G, journaled in supports or standardsG, and on one of said trunnions may be secured a gear- Serial No. 57,254(No model-) maybe turned by means of acrank 9. Each receptacle B CD maythus (when disconnected from 'the'otherparts of the apparatus) berotated, rocked, or tilted on its tru'nnions. The receptacles-B C D arepreferably located at different leve1s,so that the liquid can flow fromthe mixer B to the settler O and then to the still D by gravity. Theconnections of the receptacles are asfollows: The nipple 4 of thestill-D is connected by a pipe E with the nipple 2 of the mixer B,reaching-down in the latter to a point near the bottom. The nip ple 3 ofthe still is connected with the drainpassage 5 of the settler C bya pipeE. The nipple '2 of the still is connectedby a pipe E with the boiler F.A pipe E connects the nipple 3 of the settler O with the outlet 5 of themixer B, and a pipe E leads from the nipple at of the mixer B to thenipple 2 of the safety vessel A. The nipples not mentioned, as well asthe filling-openings having the caps 1, are closed during the normaloperation of the plant, except the nipple 3 on the safety vessel A.

The safetyvessel is partly filled with water, into which dips the pipe Eto give vent to any excess of pressure in the mixer.

The mixer B, being disconnected from the wheel 7, engaging adriving-pinion 8, which rest of the apparatus, is charged with the Thesettler 0 receives the ammoniacal solution from the mixer B, after theyhave been connected again, through the pipe E and one of the nipples atthe top-say 3-another, 4:, acting as a vent-holeandnthe others beingclosed. The solution is allowed to remain in this vessel till furtherfreed from solid impurities. When necessary, the sediment is drawn ofiafter having been agitated by revolving the vessel, which much assiststhe cleaning out. Of course the settler is disconnected to allow it tobe revolved.

The still D receives the liquid from the settler 0 through the pipe E.Steam is then injected through the pipe E which leads to about the levelof tap 5 on the still. A filtertanl: may be used between settler andstill. The injection of steam into the still causes the ammonia tobecome free and cupric oxid to be deposited at the bottom. Direct heator other means may be employed to accomplish the same object.

The ammonia-vapors are conducted back into the mixer B by the pipe E.This pipe must be made long enough to cool the vapors suiliciently toprevent their raising the liquid in the mixer to too high a temperature,orinstead oflengthening the pipe a Liebig or other condenser may beemployed in connection with this pipe. The tailings have in the meantimebeen discharged through the central opening of the mixer B after havingbeen washed to save the ammonia left in them,and the mixer has beenfilled with fresh ore and water. The process is then carried on asbefore, except that the ammonia will be introduced into the mixer in theform of vapor from the still, commercial liquid ammonia being added, ifrequired, through the central opening of the mixer, 01', preferably,through the nipple 4, in order to proportion the supply of ammonia tothe charge of ore.

hen the blue ammoniacal solution in the still has become colorless bythe application of heat, the ammonia will have been driven oif into themixer and cupric oxid deposited at the bottom of the still. The waterwhich is left in the still is then drawn off through tap 5 and thecupric oxid removed through the central opening by revolving the still,the cap 1 being removed. This has the advantage of removing any cupricoxid from the sides of the vessel, where it has a tendency to adhere.The water from the still may be used again for the mixer or boiler, thussaving any ammonia which may be left.

Instead of conducting the ammonia-vapors back into the mixer they may becondensed in a coil in the usual method, and the resulting aqueoussolution of ammonia can then be stored in a vessel for use when wanted.

The residue in the mixer may contain copper sullid or other metals ofvalue, which can now be dealt with and recovered by any lcnownprocess,su ch as concentration orsmel tmg.

The process may also be conducted in vessels which are stationary,theyhaving an opening at the bottom conveniently closed when not wanted, andthe mixture of the ore With the water and ammonia in the mixer may beaccomplished by s'tirrers or any other mechanical means, or the mixeralone may revolve. lVhen the liquid in the still has become colorless,the injection of steam is stopped by closing a cock in the pipe E nearthe still at the same time the caps in the pipe E and E are closed, soas to prevent a back rush, and as soon as the heat of the boiler allowsit air should be let into the same by opening a valve unless the streamis led into another channel, for it will be readily understood that asingle boiler may supply two or more sets of apparatus such as shown.

Any uncondensed ammonia passing into the pipe E will be absorbed by thewater in the safety vessel A, which water may be used for recharging themixer or filling the boiler. Air displaced in the apparatus by the steamwill pass through the water in the safety vessel A and will pass outthrough the open nipple 3. The safety vessel may be dispensed with, butit is preferable to use it.

While I have referred to the fact that the vessels or receptacles, aswell as the connections which come in contact with the ammoniacalsolution of copper, should be made of or lined with an inert material, Imay add that in practice the cooks or taps maybe made of brass, and thepipe E, which does not come in contact with the ammoniated solution, butwith ammonia-vapors, may be made of iron.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A plant for the treating of copper ores containingcarbonate or oxid of copper, consisting of a series of vesselscomprising a mixer, a settler, a still, and a safety vessel, the mixer,settler and still being located at different levels, the several vesselsbeing pipeconnected and the parts of the apparatus with which theammoniacal solution of copper comes in contact being of a materialindestructible by such solution.

2. A plant for the treatment of ores, consisting of a stationary safetyvessel, a mixer revolubly mounted, a pipe leading from the top of themixer down into the safety vessel, a settler at a lower level than themixer revolubly mounted, a pipe leading from the top of the settler tothe lower portion ofthe mixer, a still at a lower level than the settlerand revolubly mounted, a pipe leading from the top of the still to thelower portion of the settler, a pipe leading from the top of the stillto the mixer and extending down into the same, a boiler, and a pipeleading from the top of the boiler to the still and extending down intothe same, substantially as herein shown and described.

8. A plant for the treatment of ores, comprising a safety vessel, amixer revolubly mounted, a pipe leading from the top of the mixer downinto the safety vessel, a settler at a lower level than the mixer andrevolubly mounted, a pipe leading from the top of the settler to thelower portion of the mixer, a still at a lower level than the settlerand revolubly mounted, a pipe leading from the top of the still to thelower portion of the settler, and a pipe leading from the top of thestill to the mixer and extending down into the same, substantially asherein shown and described.

4. A plant for the treatment ofores, comprising a safety vessel, a mixerrevolubly mounted, a settler revolubly mounted at a lower level than themixer, and a still revolubly mounted at a lower level than the settler,and pipes connecting the several vessels together, the portions of theseveral vesselsmixer, a pipe leading from, the top of the settler to thelower portion of the mixer, "a still revolubly mounted at a lowerlevelthan the settler, a pipe leading from the top of the still to thelower portion of the settler, and a pipe leading from the top of thestill down into the mixer, the several vessels and the pipes being ofacid-resisting material, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresenceof two subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD SEEMAN.

Witnesses:

GEO. P. SKELsEY, EUSTAOE H. BARKER.

